Harry Potter and the Intervention of Friendship
by mearas
Summary: AU: What if Harry hadn't of grown up the way he had, what would he have been like, and what would this mean for the hope of the wizarding world. return of some beloved characters!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here we have an AU story about harry...and well, I'll just let you read it on your own...**

**Disclaimer...I don't own it...DUH**

**Additional Disclaimer...The first paragraph is a direct quote from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (American edition.)**

* * *

October 31, 1989

Dumbledore turned and walked down the street. Then on the corner he stopped and took out the silver put-outer. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that privet drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.

"Good luck Harry," he murmured He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak he was gone.

* * *

In the darkness of the night, a lone figure stalked up a deserted street. The street was old, very old. On would even go so far as to say that no one had driven on this street in a hundred years. The person who made that assumption would also be very correct, in fact no one had ever driven on it at all. However, this did not mean that the street was unoccupied, oh no, quite the contrary. The street was long, winding and narrow. Tall stately oak trees lined both sides as far as the eye could see. The moon was bright tonight, it was fitting, being Halloween and all. The light from the nearly full moon illuminated the almost ethereal glow emanating from the differently colored cobblestones. If the street was rather grandiose, it was nothing compared to the houses that it lead to. If one could see up the stately long, gated drives whomever was so privileged would see some of the largest and most ornate estates in the whole isle. Yet the man didn't seem to notice.

The cloaked figure skulked up the street to a particular gate. He clutched his right forearm as he ran, the rapid gait seeming to cause him pain. He was nervous, he had never set foot to this manor before, and had been warned against it. However, tonight was different he had to see _someone_. The gait, surprisingly seemed to agree with him that evening, and opened with an audible click. He followed the gait's noiseless trajectory as swung open to reveal a winding driveway up to one of the grandest and most intimidating manors that he had yet seen.

The man's breath caught in his already tired chest. This drive was easily a mile long, and he had come so far already. A stamp in the shadows made him jump with surprise.

"Lumos" he muttered as quietly as he could. Scanning the area with a beam of light that seemed to tremble in his unsteady hand, his wand light caught the image of a carriage. The two horses harnessed to the ornate vehicle seemed to have appeared as though out of nowhere. Their black harnesses glittering in the wand light as they stood ready to escort the man to the manor.

A small house elf sat perched on the carriage, he seemed to sense the guest's confusion. "The gate calls the carriage sir, would you be seeking company with the master of the manor this evening?" He squeaked, bowing deeply. The cloaked, now slightly stunned man simply nodded at the elf and clamored into the carriage. Hearing a click of the house elf's tongue and a snap of the whip, the carriage jolted into motion. The quick, strong trot of the horses covered a lot of ground very quickly, he would be at the manor in under five minutes. _This beats walking at least. _He thought to himself as the lights in the windows of the manor began to grow steadily brighter.

After getting out of the carriage, he watched as it diapered around the bend. He walked up the path to the large, ostentatious front door. Knocking on the door, he heard the shuffling of feet and felt a sense of foreboding, never had he the gall to present himself to a member of the inner circle. The door slowly creaked open and the yard was bathed in muted yellow light. The demure gaze turned to bewilderment as the man framed in the now open doorway peered at him incredulously.

"What brings you to my manor so late this evening?" The tall man's voice cut the air with all the warmth of a January wind. The young cloaked man began to wonder if he had indeed made a mistake. Gathering a strong breath, he held out his arm under the residual glow that spilled onto the veranda. The tall, older man's eyebrows shot into his long golden hair. He tugged at the sleeve of the younger man's robes, ignoring the hiss of pain that he received. He pulled at his own robes now, and inspected the brand that he too had been worried over the past few hours. The Mark, it had been a constant reminder of his fidelity to his lord, and today, this day of all days, it had faded. Lucius stared at the now dull gray lines that used to be the darkest of black, the hazy, feathery lines looking like an old scar fading from existence, more than a powerful link to their leader.

"Your's has faded as well then?" The young man asked, nervously, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"Well that's obvious." The man before him sneered. "Don't be dull Crouch, that's your _father's _job." Lucius spat the title with disdain.

"I am nothing like my father, he is narrow minded and so dim witted is he that he has yet to suspect a thing." Young Crouch stated boldly, the image of his father searing in his mind, giving him ire to replace his lack of courage.

"Thank merlin for small miracles then, if only for your sake." Lucius replied scathingly.

The young man lost some of his nerve standing in front of Lucius just then, for the first time he understood just why Voldemort had on his side. The thought of his master's name brought him forcibly to the present as he glanced down at the now barley discernible tattoo on his forearm.

"Lucius, what does this mean?" the young Crouch asked. The older man surveyed him magisterially "It means you keep your nose clean and wait for more tangible proof to the filthy rumors that have been flying around." He snapped, his cold eyes boring into the younger pair. Lucius was struck by the fact that although the man, if he could even be called naught but a boy's eyes were so young, they appeared to be dead, lifeless, as though no soul whatsoever resided in his empty shell. Crouch nodded and pulled his gaze away from the senior member. The look they shared ended any further conversation and the parted with the creak and click of the door.

Crouch walked the end of the footpath and saw that no carriage waited to bring him _down _the driveway. He didn't dwell on that fact, he figured he wasn't important enough to warrant the attendants of a Malfoy anyways.

Walking to the end of the road, he thought to himself, a slow smile crept over his dead, young face, with a crack that seemed almost muted in the heavy air, the hooded figure was gone from the odd street.

* * *

Nearly a hundred miles to the south, a man stood laughing, the destruction around the said man was immense, and yet he merely stood, his inordinately handsome face thrown back, neat black hair picking up in the slight breeze. Suddenly the air was thick with loud cracks, he didn't even flinch. Ropes were shot out of thin air and secured themselves tightly around the man, still he laughed on, and on and on. He didn't resist in the slightest as they dragged him away. His laughter could still be heard all the way down the razed street. Not two meters below, a small brown rat was bleeding freely from a hole in his paw where a digit should have remained. His watery black eyes were large and wide with fear. He trembled as he heard the cracks above his head. He shot off down the festering pipe, not looking back once.

* * *

November 13th.

It was a Friday afternoon, the sun shone brightly and the air was crisp and cool, the flowers on privet drive had all but withered and faded away. Inside the house of number four, one could find a playpen in the family room stuffed to the brim with children's toys, and many large pictures of the same rather large boy hung proudly displayed on every available surface. The afternoon was not as calm as it seemed however, for inside the not-so-remarkable in anyway house, an earsplitting wailing could be heard as far as the moon, if you listened really carefully. "Vernon, we have to go to the market! We are running out of baby food...again!" Came a scratchy voice.

"Already! I swear we just got some last week!" The booming deep voice returned. Petunia looked at her husband, "Yes, well that foundling eats more than he's worth." She snapped, jerking her head in the direction of a small door in the hall.

"I knew we should have thrown that brat in an orphanage."

Aunt Petunia simply rolled her eyes at the man before her. "Honestly Vernon, I don't like the beastly child either, but he is my blood, I can't in good faith let him to strangers..." She faded, it had been two weeks since her sister's death, and she had been feeling rather upset about the whole affair. Had she been fair to her? No, in all reality she hadn't been fair at all. She had spent the time remembering here childhood, thinking about what it would have been like if Lily hadn't of gotten that damn letter. She couldn't even contemplate what life might have been like in that instance. She crossed the hallway and wrenched open the small door that led to the broom cupboard that had been serving, the past few days as a make-shift nursery. They hadn't wanted a boy of his...kind...sharing a nursery with their prefect little boy, who knew what such fraternization could lead to.

Petunia grabbed a string and tugged, turning on the small light bulb that dangled from the ceiling. Harsh yellow light flooded the cupboard, and the sudden motions of the woman in the dank closet startled the sleeping child. The boy gasped in surprise, and flinched, as he did the light bulb that had startled him shattered into a million little pieces all over Petunia who shrieked as she threw her hand up into the air, as though to protect herself from the projectile glass shrapnel.

"Petunia! Are you alright!" Vernon bellowed, galloping into the hallway to see what the commotion was about.

Petunia's ashen face and wide eyes were fixed on the shattered bulb. She slowly looked at the baby staring at the bulb as well, with a placid look on his face. Petunia thought quickly to herself, he couldn't have done it? Could he have? Petunia was glancing shrewdly at the little baby, a look akin to fear growing in her eyes.

"Vernon, he can just stay here for a bit while we nip over to the grocer, it'll only be a second, he'll be fine in the cupboard."

Vernon seemed more than happy with the idea of not having to bring the second child, anything to keep the child with...unnatural...breeding away from their perfect little Dudley.

The three Dursleys drove into town, completely unconcerned about the baby they had left to his own defenses in the dank broom cupboard full of spiders.

* * *

"Look!" a manically excited voice hissed, barley able to conceal his glee as he pointed to the silver car pulling into the shopping mart's parking lot. "It's them! They have the baby too!" The person speaking was nearly besides himself with glee.

Good work Bella, I must admit that I wasn't sure you would get your story straight..." The boyish man said rubbing his hands together.

The woman he had addressed scoffed. "God Crouch, then you are thicker than I thought...You can't be withing a fifty foot radius of my _dear_ cousin Sirius and not learn a thing or two from him, like, for instance where the mud-blood bitch lived before she married the blood-traitor Potter..." Her husband cackled next to her, she silenced him with a scathing glare. "Let's get this done." She hissed, standing slightly, and scuttling across the parking lot, the three conspirators ducked behind a van and watched, grinning like idiots, as the small family made its way into the store. "Here we are..." The cold woman said, her voice quivering in anticipation.

"One...two...three..." There was an earsplitting scream as the store's windows exploded outwards, and flames shot from the cracked ceiling. The boyish man stowed his wand back in his pocket and smiled happily. The day was looking up. The would finish what their master started.

"Shouldn't we see if they lived?" The weedy man said looking longingly at the destruction he was proud to say he helped create. In his mind, anything that lessened the muggle filth in this world was a noble cause indeed.

"Please Rodolphus, you aren't serious, no one survived that...besides, if _he _did, well, then we'll keep at it until our master has been avenged!" She said in a low, solid voice. "Now for their house..." She spat

"The Boy-Who-Lived, lives no longer!" She laughed, throwing her head back as they disapperated with three distinct cracks.

* * *

Harry lay in waiting in his small dirty crib. The air was filling with smoke, and he didn't know what to do...he began to cough, "mama? He called out, with tears streaming down his face. "Da?" He cried, his voice reaching desperation as the orange glow could be seen through the vents on the door. He was choking, he needed to get out...he needed to get _out._ Quite suddenly, he was no longer in his dank cupboard, but lying on crunchy frost-covered grass. His eyes flickered, as he fought for breath in his still smoke filled lungs. The clean air was beginning to ease the tightness in his chest, and his eyes drifted shut. "Pafut?" He breathed hopefully, as his shuddering breath came more slowly and he drifted into unconsciousness.

* * *

November 14th

"Max, Come here!" a woman said sharply, tugging at the leash attached to a very adamant golden retriever. "Max! I said _Come Here!_" she hissed, the dog continued to pull her off the path in the park on Magnolia Road. With an almighty leap, the dog freed himself of the restraint and bounded across the dying grass to a slightly wooded area. "_Max!_" The woman shouted, her husband running after her and their disobedient dog.

The woman reached the dog first, and snatched up the leash. "_Max!_ What has gotten into you this morning!" She huffed, as she jerked the leash to show her displeasure. "And just _what_ may I as are you so interested in..." She broke off with a sharp intake of breath.

"David! David come here right now!" She yelled shrilly.

* * *

The van from child services pulled up to the park where a patrol car and an ambulance were parked.

A woman with blond hair and bright eyes walked to the policeman. Her normally happy face was etched with worry. "Is the child with the paramedics?" She asked. The policeman nodded. "A couple walking their dog found him half frozen in the bushes. Looks like a case of abandonment." He continued. The woman snorted. "Yes, and near infanticide..." She said cynically. In any case, I'll put in the call to St. Cathrine's, they usually deal with abandoned children. I think they are the only ones that aren't full at the moment anyways." She said, pulling out her phone and flipping through the contact information.

* * *

Rachel Simmons the newest employee of the St. Cathrine's Children's Home in Wallingford Surrey had the most interesting day of her careerer. It was her first time collecting a new ward. She had driven in the Home's car to the hospital where the infant she was collecting was being held. The child was apparently an abandonment case, like all of the children of St. Cathrine's. He had been left in a park to die in the freezing temperatures. She walked into the hospital and showed the receptionist her identification card. The receptionist nodded and handed her a card with a room number on it. Boarding the elevator she gripped tightly onto the rail, she had never been a fan of closed spaces. _No, _she thought to herself _It isn't the closed spaces I don't like, it's the fact that I am in a box suspended by a disconcertingly thin piece of metal. God knows it probably hasn't been inspected in years... _just as the lift was in her mind crashing to the basement with her trapped inside, the bell dinged dully; and the smooth metal doors glided open, reveling the neatly tiled floor and cheery blue walls of the fifth floor lounge. It couldn't be more evident that she was in the pediatric ward, what with the rainbows and monkeys swinging from trees cheerfully depicted on the walls. She glanced at the slip of paper in her hands. **218** it read. She looked on the small plastic plaques that were affixed to each hallway door.

Rooms 180-200, she passed that hall and kept walking, hoping that the numbers went up instead of down. Rooms 200-220, the next gray plaque read. Slipping the paper back into her pocket, she pulled the bright red doors open and walked down the brightly lit hallway.

She saw a blond haired woman standing outside in the hallway, flipping through a ream of paperwork.

Smiling, Rachel called out to her, "Hello Judy, it's wonderful to see you." She said with a bright smile.

The woman looked up, and her eyes lit with recognition. "Rachel! I didn't know that you were at St. Cathrine's now." She said, hugging the woman. Rachel nodded. "Yes, I've been there about six months now, I really like it there, Mr. Carlton is a wonderful man." She said happily. Judy smiled, "Yes, Richard is a good man, he's been running that place forever!" She said fondly thinking about the elderly coordinator.

Rachel was quite curious to see the young child that she would be leaving the hospital with that day. She peered in through the window at the little boy that was barely visible beneath the thick blankets. His nose and mouth were covered with an oxygen mask.

Judy followed her gaze to the child. "That's the boy, he's had a rough time of it." She said sadly. "It's odd, he's old for a simple infant dumping, doctors say he's probably near eighteen months..." Rachel frowned. "Any idea who he is?" she asked, as Judy handed her the boy's chart. Judy shook her head.

Rachel scanned the boy's file and she looked up confused. "Smoke inhalation?" She asked, her eyebrows creased. "Yup, that's what the tests indicated. They don't think it did too much damage, however he may have developmental issues down the road. He also had some mild hypothermia, but he's fine now, and ready to go home. It's odd, you know, other than the stuff from his recent problems, the doctors said he's a perfectly healthy baby with no indications whatsoever of abuse or neglect." Rachel walked to the bedside of the little boy, and looked at his sleeping face. "We have no idea where he got that cut from...it should heal up just fine though..." Judy said, pointing to the child's forehead where a curiously shaped cut in the form of a lightning bolt was positioned right above his left eye.

* * *

It was an hour car ride to St. Cathrine's that evening, in the bumper to bumper traffic. The boy had been quiet, merely staring out the window at the passing countryside. As Rachel laid him in the crib in the nursery room, with the six other babies. There was space for eight cribs, four on each side of the long brightly panted room. Tucking him in she looked at his face. He needed a name. "You look like a Robbie to me, you can't be Magnolia Park Boy forever..." She smiled as she wrote the name Robbie on a piece of printer paper and taped it to the end of the crib.

"Good night Robbie, sweet dreams..." Rachel called softy before flicking the lights out and heading home for the evening.

Little did she know that his dreams would be far from sweet. A high cold laugh would fill his mind, and the vision of blinding green would haunt him from behind his eyelids.

* * *

September 7th 1992

It had been almost three years since the baby boy had been found near frozen to death in the park that evening. It was still considered by more than a few as to how the baby had survived the cold rain at all, he hadn't been ill at all. Michele looked out into the yard of St. Cathrine's Children's Home. Two girls sat in the September sunlight. Rachel smiled to see the girls plaiting each other's hair. Two boys were tossing a ball back and fourth, while a young strawberry blond girl was trying very hard to leap up and catch the ball mid-flight. Rachel's smile slipped just a touch when she saw still another boy in the yard, all by himself he was sitting under a tree watching the other children play. That was all the other boy would do. He was, they guessed, almost five and yet he had never spoken a word. Shaking her head slightly as though to physically remove the thoughts from her mind, she threw open the glass slider and walked out to the back porch.

"Come on in, it's lunchtime." She called merrily. All the children in the yard ceased what they were doing immediately and ran to the house, all but one little boy with black hair and shockingly green eyes.

"Come on in Robbie." She called hopefully, knowing full well that the child would not acknowledge her if she balanced a fishbowl on her head and danced the hula. No, Robbie was trapped in his own little world where only he could go. She sighed slightly and walked across the yard. Taking him gently by the wrist she led him inside. He didn't resist, he never did, sometimes she almost wished he would, to prove something, just one indication that he was in fact a living breathing, and more importantly, feeling individual.

Robbie sat down at the table and ate his lunch without looking up from his plate once. Once he had finished, he picked up his plate, put it in the large plastic bin that the dirty dishes went in after mealtimes, and left the room. If anyone in the room found that uncommon, they didn't mention it. They all knew Robbie, and didn't really have an opinion one way or another. He had been at St. Cathrine's for a while now. Rachel recalled that there had been six babies that year at the home, all were adopted very fast, all but Robbie. There was just something...odd...about the child, and it seemed that the older he got, the more pronounced the peculiarity would become. It was past time for him to start school, still, Rachel thought that she was well within reason to keep him behind a year, with all things considered. He was the longest young resident of St. Cathrine's, it made her very sad to admit it, but she doubted very much that he would ever find a home. She watched him as he walked up the stairs presumably to his bedroom. He always did that after meal times, when all the other kids would play and run like demons possessed, he never played. He had been to see several doctors, and yet none of then could place just what it was about the little boy. They had even gone so far as to diagnose him with Autism, however, to Rachel, that diagnosis just didn't seem to fit. She had worked with many autistic children in the past, and he didn't seem to be like a single one of them. It was almost like the boy simply didn't have anything to say. You could imagine looking at him and having a conversation, but it just hadn't happened yet. He showed a total lack of interest in socialization to the point of not even acknowledging that someone was even in his presence.

The next morning, Rachel had Robbie all dressed and ready, today was the day he would go to school. She was used to the short walk, she did it three times a week, when assigned, to escort the young wards to the school. Especially now, it was more important than ever to keep the young ones close. With the escape of that horrid convict Black, everyone was on edge. It had been nearly three months, and still, no one had seen hide nor hair of the filthy criminal. Walking to the registrar's office, she signed the paperwork she had faxed to the office the previous day. She had made sure to get there early, so she would have time to meet with Mrs. Harvey, the teacher for the special learners, which was where Robbie would go.

"Alright Robbie, this is Mrs. Harvey, she's a very nice lady and will look after you today until I come again to pick you up in a few hours, don't worry, I'll be back quite soon." Rachel said, peeling the little boy's jacket off him and hanging it on a hook. She turned to leave and saw that Robbie wasn't looking anywhere near her, he was simply staring straight ahead, not giving any indication that he had heard her in the slightest. Mrs Harvey smiled at her encouragingly, as Robbie gazed out the sunlight window. Rachel shrugged her shoulders and nodded to the teacher before heading out of the classroom

* * *

Robbie didn't like his name. He knew that wasn't what he was really called. It was just some name that the orphanage had come up with to call him since his parents weren't anywhere to be found to give him a proper name. He thought about his parents all the time, he knew some things, he knew his real name was Harry. His mother's name was Lily. His father's name was James. He knew that they had loved him very much, he knew that he was different that the other foundlings at the orphanage, his parent's hadn't dumped him off, they had been murdered. He knew that because of his dreams. They didn't leave much to his imagination. They were real too, he knew they were real. He could remember the sound of the high, cruel laughter, and the words that didn't make sense to him. Still, although they didn't make sense, he repeated them over and over again in his mind, they were the last words of his real life he could remember. He closed his eyes, he knew that the teacher lady was talking to him. However, he wasn't paying attention to her at all. Instead, a high cold voice filled his mind. _Avada Kedarva! _It screamed in his mind, a violent green flash flashed behind his eyes. Jumping slightly he he returned his attention to the green wall behind the talking lady's head.

Robbie didn't like the sound of the harsh bells, they made him jump, and all the children that were everywhere talking and laughing made him uneasy.

"Come along Robbie, it's time for recess, you get to go outside..." The talking lady Rachel had identified as Mrs. Harvey said kindly, taking him by the wrist and leading him outside.

Mrs. Harvey nodded happily as she watched the child walk over to the swing set and begin to rock himself contentedly back and forth. Hearing a shrill cry, a crack, and the subsequent wail she threw up her hands and ran across the playground to a small girl in a pink jumper with blond piggy tails. Her rand was held at an awkward angle, as she lay crumpled on the ground under the monkey bars.

Robbie saw a swinging gate and hopped off the swing. Walking though the gate he looked across the field overgrown with soft purple lavender. Something about the smell was familiar to him. A dark shadow caught his eye and he saw a ginger cat saunter through the field. He followed, not looking behind at the school yard once. If he had, he may have noticed a large black dog following at a far distance along the edge of the field.

Robbie was running now, trying to find sight of the ginger cat. He wasn't paying attention to where his feet were going however, and his toe caught a log and he tumbled down to the ground.

The large black dog's sharp hearing picked up the soft sounds of distress coming from the boy clear as day and he broke into a swift gallop to arrive at the child's side. The dog peered down the hillside and saw the form of the raven haired child lying motionlessly at the bottom.

_Oh my god! Harry!_ Sirius thought as he thew all caution to the wind and quickly transformed back into his real form.

Running down the hill, he scooped up the boy in his arms, and held him for the first time in years. "Come on buddy, come on, wake up, look at me Harry..."

The boy's eyes fluttered open, and he looked into the palest blue-gray eyes widened with concern.

"Padfoot, I knew you'd come find me, you promised...I've been waiting..." Harry mumbled before he lost consciousness once more.

Sirius turned back into Padfoot and he ran as fast as he could to the school yard. _Good lord, I feel like some demented version of Lassie..._He noticed a kind looking lady running franticly through the yard, calling then name 'Robbie'. _Okay, how exactly do dogs get the attention of people these days? _Sirius saw the bad in her hands, and grabbed it hard in his teeth. Pulling it away from her, he ran out the gate, and looked back at her to see if she was getting the point.

Mrs. Harvey was looking at the giant bounding dog running with her purse in her hands. She was distracted and noticed that he was looking for her to give chase.

_No, Timmy did not fall down the well, but Harry did hit his head!_ He thought exasperatedly. Finally after what seemed like hours, the woman finally caught the hint and followed him. Once she saw the still child in the gully below, she rushed down and gathered him in her arms. Jogging back to the school yard, she spotted one of the other teachers.

"Dial 999, tell them we have an unconscious child." She said in an undertone, as she rushed the boy inside. She didn't notice the large black dog that followed her, worriedly into the building.

She heard the sirens in minuets and watched as they loaded him into the back of the ambulance.

"Mrs. Harvey, Rachel Simmons, the coordinator for the St. Cathrine's Children's Home is on her way to the hospital, I've told her what happened."

Mrs. Harvey nodded absently, still reeling from what had happened.

The principal looked quizzically at the dog pacing the room. "What's that?" She asked, distractedly. Mrs. Harvey looked up at the dog and frowned for a moment. "That's the dog that led me to Robbie..." She said slowly, reaching a hand out to pat the enormous creature.

"Dog," the principal scoffed, "Looks part pony if you ask me..."

Sirius was listing to the conversation adamantly, trying to pick up on any clues as to where Harry was. The more he heard, the less he liked.

* * *

_Children's home...Robbie? I never forget a sent, not to mention, the scar is there...plain as day, Harry doesn't even know his own name..._ Sirius slipped out of the office and made his way down the hall. He stared in sheer annoyance at the doorknob that was silently mocking him _This would be so much easier if I had hands!_ He thought moodily as he grappled with the knob. Luckily some little child with a loo pass decided to throw the old dog a bone, and opened the door for him. _Well, there we have it, Sirius Black, top of his class at hogwarts, remarkable auror, famed mass murderer who drives fear into the hearts of all...bested by a doorknob. _He thought scornfully as he set off up the road, following the sent of Harry, with any luck he would find where he was living now.

Less than two minutes later, he arrived at the front gate to the St. Cathrine's Children's Home. There was no denying the sent, Harry Potter lived here.

A tired and worried voice cut the air and Sirius, not for the first time was infinitely impressed with the senses of a dog.

"Yes, Robbie has a concussion, and that's about it, he'll be released in a few hours." He tuned out the voice and heard the phone click onto a hard surface inside the house.

_What is Harry doing here anyways, he isn't supposed to be in Wallingford at all, he's supposed to be on the other side of Surrey...To think, if I hadn't been here by pure luck, I would have never found his sent...I would have never found him._ Sirius's eyes shot up..._I would have _never_ found him..._If he wouldn't have been able to find him if not for his sent, which he was pretty sure he was the only one who knew it, other than perhaps moony near a full moon, than maybe, just maybe no one else would find him either..._until I want them too..._He thought. Laying himself in the undergrowth behind the back garden of the Children's Home, he lay in wait, for the moment he would get to lay eyes on his godson once more, the only good thing he had left in his life.

Sirius was jolted awake by the sounds of the van door sliding open, and then slamming shut. He scrambled out of the brambles, and saw to his joy, the face of Harry walking live and well up the path.

Forgetting he was indeed a dog...he called out joyfully to the boy, what came out was a harsh bark.

* * *

Rachel Simmons watched as the dog bounded across the green, headed straight for the child.

_Good lord, all this boy does is attract trouble! _She thought, as she ran towards the young child. "Get back you brute, go on, shoo!" She said fiercely to the large dog. Sirius was stunned momentarily, forgetting that he must look rather imposing, as a large galumphing dog.

Robbie for the first time Rachel's memory had emotion in his eyes, as far as she could tell, it wasn't fear, it was raw, and unreadable.

"Wait!" He said in a scratchy whisper. Rachel was shocked into silence as though the child had screamed.

"Robbie!" She sputtered, in utter disbelief. The dog had reached him by then and was staring at the interaction between the coordinator and the child.

"Please don't send the dog away, he's special! I promise I'll be good from now on, but don't take him away...please..." He begged, his voice harsh from lack of use.

Rachel couldn't answer, the mute, supposedly antisocial and developmentally challenged child was begging her to keep a large shaggy dog, who was reading, no, looking at the child's still intact hospital bracelet.

_Will anything about you be normal and simple Robbie?_ Rachel thought to herself as she rubbed her forehead.

"Alright Robbie, you can keep him, as long as you promise me you'll talk from now on..." She heard a voice that sounded suspiciously like her own say from behind her stunned lips.

"I promise." The child said, as he laughed and walked into the house, for the first time in Rachel's memory, the boy lacked his haunted, dead look in his eyes.

Once Harry was in his room, he looked into the eyes of the palest blue. "I knew you would come back Padfoot, I waited for you..." He said, throwing his hands around the dog's neck.

"Don't be so surprised, you are the last memory I have of my old life, I dream about you all the time...I didn't let myself forget. I know I'm not Robbie..."

* * *

**A/N: Well, that's the first chapter, let me know what you think about it folks, obviously, it's highly AU, but that's chill, I hate the fact that Sirius died, so, hey, in ff world anything is possible, so what the hay...**

**P.S Harry doesn't know that he is a wizard, or that his parents were, or that Padfoot is a human...he just remembered him as a dog...**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Hello, Hello, I'm back with another chapter of this little ditty of a story. Most of this chapter is a flashback, although a recent one from Sirius...I'm not too sure, however, I think hat this will be a prominent feature, so...any Sirius Haters out there, may as well turn back...cuz he's in it for the long haul!**

**Disclaimer: Not My Toy Box, Just playing, I'll put everything back I swear...(now...if it's all in one piece...that I can't really be sure of...)

* * *

**

Sirius looked up at the child's hospital bracelet and then looked down at his own shaved paw. It hadn't been too long since he too was in the 'hospital' of sorts, and he didn't envy the child in the slightest. He couldn't believe his luck in the fact that he managed to be dumped in Wallingford at all, it was a miracle that he had even made it off the bloody rock at all. As he shut his eyes, he allowed himself to remember just what happy coincidence had led him to be safe and sound here.

* * *

The island may have been inviable to all muggles, however, the massive struggling dog was anything but.

"Look, over there!" A loud voice called from the deck of a freighter ship on it's way back to Liverpool.

"What is it now Brian, we haven't all day." Came an exasperated sigh from the man's left.

"No, really Thomas, I swear, it's a _dog_."

The man called Thomas rolled his eyes and quirked a brow in disbelief at his plainly crazy friend.

"And what would a dog be doing nearly fifty miles out to sea?" He asked as though quizzing a two year old on the nature of crayons and walls.

"I haven't the foggiest, why don't you ask it when it gets here!" He shouted, now that the ship was bearing down on the bobbing dark object in the clear may sunlight.

"Good lord! There's a dog in the open ocean!" Thomas shouted in disbelief.

"Told you I wasn't mad." The man called Brian gloated happily.

Being the kindhearted crew that they were, they sent someone down...Brian couldn't be happier to rescue the sodden brute. He wrapped his arms around the near eighty pound beast and signaled to the others on deck to hoist him and the beast out of the frigid ocean.

Once the dog and the man were safely on deck they all realized that the poor animal had gone unconscious.

"Is he dead?" Thomas asked tentatively, looking at his massive still frame.

"No, I think he's just exhausted and very cold." He replied, lifting the sopping dog into his arms to take him to his quarters.

"Brian, your shift is in thirty minuets, I don't expect you late, even if you do insist on mothering this little mongrel."

Brian laughed at the gruff voice of his captain. "Yes sir, though I must say, this beast is anything but little."

Once in the small but comfortable cabin below, Brain lowered the still out cold dog to the floor. The wet fur was matted and dirty, and it clung around his emaciated frame.

"Poor old fella, you didn't get too much food in a while huh?" He said under his breath. He always felt badly to see mistreated animals, and this beast was clearly a case of neglect.

"He's probably a freight guard, who happened to get caught on a ship. Looks like he got very lost at some point." He said, having a rather strange habit of thinking out loud. The dog weighed at the most eighty pounds soaking wet, but judging from his huge frame he ought to have weighed twice that. Brian didn't know that much about dogs, but if he had to guess, he looked a lot like his neighbor's dog, a big black newfoundland named Sadie. He would probably say this dog was one of them too, or at least a good part of one.

Brian tried the best he could using rags that had lain about to make a soft bed for the animal, they would be on shore very shortly at any rate, so it wouldn't be all that long for the animal to have to stay in the hull. He still didn't want the creature to wander while he was away, so he fastened a rope around the dog's thick neck and tied him securely to the bed post.

"sorry fella, but I've gotta get up to work. If I'm late the boss will blame you." The kindhearted man chuckled softly and scratched the dog briefly on the head and left the room.

"What is Angela going to say when you bring that brute home with you?"

"She'll see what kind of shape the little fella is in and she'll fall to pieces over him." He said confidently, throwing out his chest.

"Sure she will." Thomas said throwing him a coil of rope. "You're going to give her the wrong idea you know." He said waggling his eyebrows.

Brian looked at him in confusion.

"You know what they say about dogs in a new marriage..." Thomas prompted almost teasingly.

"No, I don't..." Brian answered slowly, clearly not getting the picture.

By now some of the other crew had gotten into Thomas' lighthearted teasing.

"Yea, they say that the dog holds the place for something a little more meaningful, it signifies that you are ready to move on to the next level of your relationship." Jon said smartly, smirking at the younger man before him

"What next level? We're already married, we are all ready through the levels, we beat the game..." Brian said, clearly not understanding where they were taking all of this.

"Ah, but you have yet to, shall we say commiserate your marriage." Jon continued

"Oh stop teasing the poor boy, and get your work done."

Brian had never been more pleased to hear the gruff commands of his captain.

"Oh, and Brian, they are implying that the dog means you want a kid." the captain added as he turned his back on the bewildered young man.

_Barking mad, the whole lot of them, they just wanted to see me squirm. _Brian thought to himself as he left to start his shift.

The very first thing that became apparent to the dog sitting on the floor was that he was no longer swimming. That in it of itself was a wonderful surprise for the creature. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around at his surroundings. If he were an ordinary dog, it would have been a strange sight indeed to see the animal craning his head to look intently at the paper on the ground. It almost looked comically enough like the dog was reading. Which incidentally enough was exactly what he was doing.

New York Times

Record breaking lows reported for the east coast of New England for the moth of May.

The dog didn't bother to read the rest of the article. He had read enough to know that it was a muggle publication. Breathing a sigh of relief he arched his back and leaned against his paws, stretching out the very tired muscles that had been swimming for god knows how long. Standing shakily to his feel he nearly collapsed immediately but managed to gain his footing. Taking a few shaky steps, he felt a very unfamiliar tug on his neck. He looked back and saw to his chagrin that he was tied with a length of thick rope to a bed.

_Well, at least that proves that they think I'm a real dog, although to a muggle it isn't that much of a stretch. _The soft rocking motion of the boat lulled the exhausted creature. For the first time in an indescribably long amount of time he fell into a slumber, not a fit.

Brian had begun to see land materializing before his eyes. No matter how many times he saw the something spring out of nothing, he would never cease to be amazed by it. After months of nothing but blue, here it was, green, well, black currently, but he knew that by the time he got there it would be green enough for anyone to see. He knew that they would be there in a few short hours at the speed they were going and so he went down to the cabins to pack up his belongings. Opening the door he had almost forgotten entirely about the large black dog but as soon as the door closed with a soft scraping notice against the warped frame the dog's eyes shot up. The man looked into them with wonder. He had never seen a dog have eyes like that. They were of the palest gray, with a small tint of blue to them. It wasn't just the color, because he had seen huskies with light eyes, it was the expression. He felt as though the dog was looking right through him, searching his innermost secrets and sizing him up for what he was really worth.

After a few tense moments Brian was having second thoughts on rescuing the animal to begin with, he had no idea if the beast was even tame. However, the dog simply dropped his gaze, and regally rose from the ground into a sitting position.

"You have got to be the strangest dog I have ever met." Brian mused, shaking his head.

The dog gave him a look that if Brian thought clearly indicated, "You have no idea."

_Huh, didn't realize just how intelligent Newfoundlands were..._Brian mused, and approached the large, still sopping wet beast.

"Well, once we get to shore there'll be a ton of work to do getting you to look remotely presentable to Angela." The man sighed, looking at the dog who was gazing appraisingly at him. Brian's shift had ended and it was only a few hours until they landed on shore, so he decided to take advantage of that time that he had to give the animal a proper scrub down. Grabbing his soap from out of the shower area, he made his way to the dog once more. Untying the knot, he began to walk away from the dog.

Sirius saw the soap in the man's hands, and almost rolled his eyes at him as he fumbled with the rope and began to lead him away. _If James or Remus could see me now...Sirius Black walking on a leash! Well, the world really has gone mad._ Sirius thought. _Oh well, if I have to play the part, may as well play it well._ With an audible sigh the dog rose to his feet and placidly walked after his savior.

_Oh good lord, you think the guy could have used warm water, as if I haven't had enough frigid water to last a lifetime! _Sirius thought ruefully as he felt the freezing water slosh over his back.

Brian was stunned. The dog, who looked as though he had never had any human contact in his life, was standing stock still letting him just give him a bath. He had never owned a dog, but he always thought that giving a dog was an extremely unpleasant affair. This dog seemed to rather like the attention. Brian washed the dog's matted fur, getting out all the mud that seemed to have permanently embedded itself in his fur. He combed him, and then toweled him as dry as he could.

Looking up at the whistle he heard, it meant that they were nearly at shore. Brian was more than glad that he didn't have to be the one on unloading duty, as that was what he had done when they had reached New York's harbor. Looking over at the bustling port coming into sharper focus by the second, he realized how good it was to be at home. He saw the dog's big black paws resting no the railing, and looking out at the swift approaching horizon. He thought that it seemed that the dog thought the very same way.

Brian shouldered his back and led the dog out behind him on the gangplank. It was a great feeling to have ground beneath his feet stay completely still. It was an utterly foreign feeling, but one that never felt so good.

The dog walked happily being him, swinging his head in every direction as though he couldn't get enough of the sights.

Brian knew that Angela wouldn't be home until the next day. He clearly remembered his phone call the previous night She had been so upset that she would not have been able to meet him until the next day, she was out of the country just the week that he would be retuning.

"I'll tell them I can't go...Australia can wait, I haven't seen you in months!" She had whined into the phone.

Brain had smiled sadly. "No, you should go. It won't be that long, just a few more hours." He said regretfully. He could almost see her warm brown eyes soften and her face relax as she relented.

Sirius padded slowly behind the man. It was a miracle to see green grass and trees. He had no idea how long it had been since he had seen such wonderful things. He felt so tired and weak. His fur felt less itchy than it had in a long time though, and he felt warmer than he had in years as the soft shafts of sunlight reached his black coat. What started out as a desperate attempt at what he knew was in essence suicide, now had landed him on shore in the country that had all but forsaken him. He only had one thought in his mind, get back to Harry. He didn't remember collapsing on the pavement.

* * *

Slowly the lights began to come back into sharp focus.

_Where am I? _Sirius thought to himself. _I smell so many different animals! _He opened his eyes and saw shining steel bars in front of his face. The ground that he was lying on was also shiny steel. _Oh shit, I've been taken to the pound! _Sirius looked around the surroundings and slowly though his panicked mind he saw the shining medical instruments that he had never seen before and the other randomly placed objects and knew instantly where he was.

_Worse, I've been taken to the muggle veterinarian. This could not have been any worse. _To his horror he looked at his paw and saw a rather large needle sticking out of the fur. Following his eyes he noticed the plastic bag filled with an unknown fluid, dripping drop by drop into his flesh through the needle. He licked the sore bare skin where the the fur had been clipped off. _Oh my god, they're killing me! I need to get out of here and fast! _He thought, trying desperately to push his way out of the bars. It was a futile attempt. He tried to lift the latch, but that again was in vein.

_This would be a whole lot easier if I had thumbs..._He thought ruefully. Stopping, he noticed something that he wonderfully didn't notice! His ribs felt as they always had! He remembered slamming into the rocks of the island of Azkaban on his way out of the terrible place and hearing the sickening crack, knowing full well that had been his ribs, at least one of them. They felt better than he would have believed possible. Also the splitting headache he had had was all but gone, and his legs felt as though they were sturdier.

"Oh hello big fella! You're up! You gave your new master quite a turn." Came a sing-song voice from above Sirius's head. Sirius was confused momentarily before the events of the previous evening came crashing back to him in full, the muggle man who had taken him in on the ship... That must have been who she was referring to.

Sirius spent much of the day lunging in the cage, being taken out periodically to be checked on by the attendants. One thing that was wonderful about being a dog was that things that would not seem remotely palatable to a human were now perfectly delicious. He was so hungry.

He heard the sound of footsteps stutter outside his cage and looked up. It was the same lady that did the obnoxious baby talk earlier, what did she think, honestly, it wasn't as though she wasn't perfectly audible at normal mature tones...Oh well, that was what everyone did to animals, he supposed that animals really did like that kind of tone, however, he wasn't an animal.

_I really aught to be paying attention to what she is saying, not how she was saying it. _Sirius mentally rebuked himself.

"Well, your owner is here to take you home, isn't that nice? You'll be sleeping in a nice warm bed, not some icky cage tonight. Bet you'll like that." She said kindly as she opened the latch on his cage.

_Lady, you have no idea! _He thought dryly, it would have bee the first time I a very long time indeed.

_It really won't be such a bad idea to stick around with the Brian character for a little while, that way I'll be able to get a bit of strength going up before I have to find Harry. _Sirius reasoned with a sigh. _Besides, the whole ministry is bound to be after my blood, and Remus will have told them all about my dog shape by now. _Now that his strength was returning to him realized that it was going to be such a difficult wish that he knew he had to fulfill. _James, I'll try, really, I'll do anything I can. _

The woman unhooked his IV and held her finger on the vein for a minute or so. She then slipped a rope around his neck and led him from the back room. Walking down the bright and cheery hallway they stepped into a small exam room.

"Hello Buddy!" Brian said smiling. He patted the great black dog on the head. The vet came strolling into the room and shut the door with a soft click behind him.

"So, have you come up with a name for this big fella yet?" The vet asked cheerfully, not yet looking up from the chart.

Brian smiled. "Yes, I think I'll name him Lee. That's what the ship I was on was named.

Sirius nearly groaned out loud with the irony of that name. _Of all the sick and twisted things fate could have named me it had to be Lee...Sirius Lee? Come on, what kind of stunt is that! _

Sirius turned his attention once more to the Veterinarian speaking to Brain.

"Now, Lee here has had a pretty rough life before you found him. He was extremely dehydrated, and malnourished to the point of which I am surprised he made it. He also shows very strong evidence of physical abuse in the form of three broken ribs, obviously someone kicked him good and hard. It would most likely be a good thing for him to build back the weight slowly and carefully. I would hate for him to become sick, I just don't think he could make it back from that kind of setback." He finished, signing the chart and passing it to a receptionist.

"He's a bit too weak right now, and I don't want to stress his system by giving him his vaccinations today. But be sure to make an appointment to see me in a few months to get Lee here his proper shots." Brian smiled and nodded that he would indeed take care of that and opened the plastic bag that was at his feet.

"Hey Lee, look what I got for you yesterday afternoon." He said in an excited voice.

Sirius looked with disinterest as he fastened a brown leather collar around his thick furry neck. Snapping a matching lead, he strode from the office to the parking lot outside. Brian helped the big dog into the back of the car where Sirius immediately laid down.

"You are almost too easy for a dog..." He muttered and shut the door.

Almost four hours later, they pulled to a stop and Sirius looked out the window.

_And I have no clue where I am..._ He thought to himself with disgust. _Oh well, I'll figure out how I'm going to get to harry eventually. _

"Well, here we are Lee, in the wonderful village of Wallingford. Best place in all of Surrey." He said happily.

Sirius's eyes shot up in recognition. Surrey! He had made half his journey already without even realizing it! _I knew sticking with this muggle was so going to pay off! _Sirius thought, if he had a mouth that could, he'd be grinning ear to ear.

Sirius's sharp ears perked up at the sound of a door slamming on the front porch.

"Brian!" The voice squealed. Sirius moved quickly out of the way to avoid being trampled as the woman launched herself at the man standing with the leash.

After they had been reacquainted with one another in a fashion that made Sirius smirk, the woman seemed to notice the black dog for the first time.

"What is that?" She asked, almost accusingly at the man in front of her, her eyes never leaving the shaggy black dog.

"It's a dog." He answered waveringly

_Wow, this guy is really bad at this sort of thing..._ Sirius mused to himself

"It's a really big dog!" The woman said slightly louder... "And what pray tell are you doing with this really big dog?" She said, her hands on hips by this point.

"Lee's not big..." Brian said meekly

Sirius cringed. _Strike two...bud, you're batting a thousand._

"Lee is it, this beast has a name?" She said, he eyebrows reaching into her dark hair.

"Well...yea, I though it fit him." Brian answered.

Sirius decided it was time that he took matters into his own hands, before he was shipped off to the pound.

Noticing the rubber banded newspaper at the front of the drive he walked calmly to the end of the way, unnoticed by the softly arguing couple. Picking it up he dropped it softly at Angela's feet and promptly lay down without a sound.

The two stopped at once and merely looked at the dog in sheer amazement.

"See told you he was a good dog." Brain said triumphantly.

Sirius raised his eyebrows at this comment. This bloak really needed to learn some charm...

"Fine, you can keep him, but he goes to the bathroom on the good rugs, or chews up my shoes, it's your hide I'm after." She said threateningly.

_Wow, who knew dog's lives were so nice, such low expectations, I think that even my mother would be able to agree that I could do that one.. _Sirius thought wryly.

He made his way into the nice comfortable home. Listening to the couple talk quietly, about him no less.

"Why is he so skinny?" She asked, watching him as he made his way into the family room and lay on the rug in front of the sofa.

"You'll never believe this, but we found him about fifty miles out to sea..." Brain said earnestly.

"We have no idea how he got there either." He continued as he saw the dubious expression on her face.

"Our best guess was he was left for dead by the same people that kicked him in the ribs, he was probably found a stowaway on some ship, and they couldn't be bothered with him."

Sirius laughed at this version of the events. He liked their explanation much better. It was so easy to let others explain his life for him than it was to explain it himself. He wasn't even sure where it had all gone wrong to begin with, that was all such a huge disaster after another.

Sirius was quite content, lying on the softly bedded corner of the family room. Apparently, after hearing Brian's astonishingly inaccurate portrayal of why Sirius, _no, Lee now..._He corrected with a slight chuckle to himself, had been found in the middle of the ocean, Angela had seemed to feel quite badly for him and pulled out all the stops. She had rummaged around the upstairs closet to find all the spare blankets she could and made a cozy corner just for him. Sirius couldn't believe his luck. This was just the sort of thing he had imagined, sort of...

He was just dozing off to sleep, when he saw a very familiar face frozen on the telly. It was none other than himself!

"Do not, I repeat do not attempt to approach or apprehend Black on your own, call this number and alert the authorities at once, he is armed and extremely dangerous!" The announcer's voice carried through the room. Sirius sighed, there was nothing for it...he was surprised though, he must have really scared the wizarding community if they had alerted the muggles about his disappearance. He was more glad than ever that he had fallen in with the muggles, if he hadn't he wouldn't have known they knew anything about him. If he hadn't of seen that broadcast, he might have chanced a transformation just to stretch his human legs for the first time in nearly five years.

He closed his eyes and thought happily that he was able to think happily at all...

It hadn't taken long to adjust to his new life as the family dog, however, as the pain in his ribs began to fade, and his strength and weight began to return to him, the name Harry began to come forcibly to the front of his mind with increasing clarity. He needed to get to the child, it had been three, painfully long years, and he would not fail when he was so close.

It happened one Thursday when Brian and Angela left for work, he nudged the knob and trotted down the walk, looking back at the house once more. It had been his first stay with muggles, and he was very grateful for the help they had been. _Now to cover my tracks..._Sirius thought to himself as he looked down the deserted street. He dragged a paper bag into the alley besides the back garden. With a nervous glance over his shoulder he quickly turned into his real form and focused all his newly acquired strength. _Where is my seventh year transfiguration notebook when I need it! _Sirius thought to himself, trying to remember any scrap of information on wandless magic that he had studied in school, and then tested with James outside of class. Focusing all his attention, the bag became a perfect, albeit dead, replica of his animagus form. Buckling the collar that had, until quite recently rested around his neck, onto the neck of 'Lee', he levitated the decoy to the side of the street. Looking back, he quickly transformed to padfoot once more and bounded down the street.

Sirius hated the fact that he had to hurt the only people to care for him in a very long time, however, he wasn't going to let them burden his plans to find Harry, and if they thought him still alive and went searching for him, that could defiantly put a kink in his plans.

It was the next morning when he awoke from under a park bench to the sounds of children lauging and a woman calling them to slow down. He raised his head and suddenly caught wind of a very familiar smell. _Thank god I'm a dog, that would be rather hard to explain to someone othewise, 'excuse me, you don't know me, but I know you, you see, you smell just the same as you did when you were just one year old...' Yeah Sirius, that would go over real well..._he snorted to himself, the smell filling his nose once more. He couldn't believe it, it was _Harry!_

He shook his head slightly, that simply didn't make any sence, what was Harry doing walking down the sidewalk in Wallingford, a good half an hour away from where he was supposedly living...He scanned the group of children walking down the sidewalk, there was about ten of them, one woman wrangling them all. Looking down at the woman's left hand, she saw a child clinging to her. Sirius's heart stopped. _Oh my god, it's James._ He thought, as his throat closed painfully. He saw the child's knobby knees poking out from his shorts, and was forcibly reminded of Mr. Potter. Harold Potter was a great man. He was a better father than Sirius ever had, his heart beat painfully at the memory of his vacant gaze staring out at him from a casket as he supported a devastated James.

Sirius stood transfixed, he couldn't believe the child was here, of all places, he had done it, he had made it back to Harry...he had accomplished the impossible.

* * *

A sound brought Sirius from the memories of the past three months. Picking up his head, he looked to the bed where the child was fitfully sleeping. "Not Harry. Please Not Harry!" Sirius heard with his acute canine hearing. His eyes widened in surprise. What on earth was the child seeing behind those eyelids? Sirius grew worried as the child's voice grew harsh and cold. "Stand aside you silly girl! Avada Kedavra!" He mumbled into his pillow. Sirius's heart stopped. His breath came slowly, and ragged. He couldn't believe what he had just heard come out of James and Lily's son's mouth...the two most evil words...ever! The rest of the mutterings played in his thoughts. _That was Lily, that was Lily's last words...she died for him..._Sirius thought mournfully. He looked up at the child who rubbed his forehead, rolled over, and then remained quite still the rest of the night. If anyone thought the fact that the large black stood in silent contemplation the whole night, no one said a word.

* * *

**Feed the muse...She's ravanous you know, and the little blusih-purpleish button/box thing that says review is like a nice big steak dinner! Thanks, hope you liked, and btw, the next update won't be another month and a half away...I just had a lot on my plate with school and all...College is tough, Pre-med's tougher...I mean really, why do they care how smart surgeons are anyways...all we have to do is cut people up...(I'm JUST KIDDING!) ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Chapter three for your reading pleasure!**

**Disclaimer: (checks Bank Statement) Nope, its official, I don't own Harry Potter...Drat, foiled again

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**

The deputy headmistress looked down at the long list that she had in front of her.

"Good lord, forty eight muggle-borns in England this year! This is going to be a long summer of contacting scared muggle families." Inevitably one or two of the muggle born magical children would not consent to magical instruction. She scanned the list carefully taking in all the records of

contact information, short biographies of the parents and the careful records of accidental magic and if any

memories had been modified because of said accidental magic. It also provided a copy of their muggle school transcripts so they could see what kind of student they had been. Here eyebrows raised as she looked over they meticulous records for Hermione Granger, every grade in her record was the same, A's across they board. "She'll be a Ravenclaw, that's for sure and certain.

She chuckled, reading over a few more records, she read the heading of one name, gasped and dropped the ream of of parchment she had been holing.

"That's not possible!" She said in slow disbelief. Abandoning all presences she hastily regathered her papers and hurried out of here office as she walked the ridiculous amount of space between the head of Gryffindor's house and the headmaster's office, she however did not notice the distance at all.

She was panting slightly as she approached the large stone gargoyles.

"Bertie Bot!" She quipped to the statues that flanked either side of the rather ornate door. The statues nodded and sprang apart and the door turned to reveal a set of spiral steeps. She steeped on the stairs and it began to grind upwards. The impatient professor tapped her foot on the stair willing it to move faster. Reaching the top, she hastily knocked on the door.

"Come in Minerva" came a cheerful voice.

The professor pushed open the heavy oaken door and looked around the circular office. Over the years nothing really changed here. It was always quiet and peaceful, the decor casual and elegant. All and all it seemed to fit the eccentric genius very well.

Dumbledore's clear blue eyes lost their twinkle immediately as he saw the professor's still shocked expression. Wordlessly she walked up to the aged headmaster's desk and slid the parchment across for his examination.

Dumbledore's eyes scanned the page without comment and he sunk into his chair. removing his glasses he rubbed his eyes and pursued the parchment no less than three more times.

"Are you sure this information is accurate?" Dumbledore asked, his voice low and soft, he searched the gaze of the professor before him.

"The book has never yet been wrong..." she paused, "although there of course is a first time for everything." She glanced at the parchment on the desk, reading the address where he lived. "Albus! He died! We went to his funereal for god's sake." She said emphatically, dropping into one of the plush chintz chairs facing the headmaster's desk.

"No body was found Minerva, we all just assumed..." He said, his voice echoing the thoughts that reverberated in her mind.

**Harry James Potter**

Born- July 31 1986

St. Cathrine's Children's Home

424 North Main St.

Wallingford

Surrey England

**Father**: James Harold Potter: Gryffindor, Head Boy, Quidditch captain Graduated 1982

Attended United Kingdom Auror academy, worked for English Ministry of Magic

Deceased-October 31 1988

**Mother**: Lily Evans Potter: Gryffindor Prefect, Head Girl, Graduated 1982

Attended St. Sebastian's School of the Healing Arts, worked for St. Mungo's Hospital

Deceased-October 31 1988

**Legal** **Guardian**: Sirius Black

Gryffindor, Graduated Magna Cum Laude, 1982

Attended United Kingdom Auror academy, worked for English Ministry of Magic

Arrested-October 31 1988

Escaped June 5th 1992

**Placed Illegally in the care of:**

Vernon Dursley: Muggle Drill salesman

Deceased-November 13th 1988

Petunia Dursley: Muggle housewife

Deceased-November 13th 1988

**Currently residing in:**

St. Cathrine's Children's Home: Muggle orphanage for abandoned and surrendered children.

424 North Main St.

Wallingford

Surrey England.

**Coordinator**: Rachel Simmons

"How could this have happened?" She asked, her voice very quiet.

"I have no idea, however I intend to find out." Dumbledore resolved, rising from the chair.

"Albus! It says here that Sirius Black is the child's legal guardian!" The professor said weakly.

"Yes Minerva, that is indeed the case." Dumbledore said resignedly as he headed out his door, Minerva hot on his heels.

"But what are you going to do Albus?" She asked, not liking the look her wise friend had about him. "Have you written the first year letters yet?" He asked, vaguely. Minerva was thrown, "Why, yes, yes of course." She said, reaching into her bag and retrieving the parchment envelopes glittering with emerald ink.

"I will take care of contacting Mr. Potter." He said smoothly.

"But what about the statute? We are only supposed to divulge the information to immediate family..." She began, ringing her hands slightly.

"It has been done before." He said cryptically, and he strode out of the front doors to an awaiting threstial pulled carriage waiting to draw him to safe apparating distance.

He reached out and stroked the soft coat of the bay threstil before him. Whispering words into the animal's flicking ears, he patted him and hopped into the body of the carriage. With a soft click of his tongue, the animal was of at a rocking trot.

Dumbledore was lost in thought as the carriage slowed to a halt and the sounds of the bustling village of Hogsmead hit his ears. Stepping out of the carriage, he transfigured his violet robes and hat into a navy blue suit with a matching derby. Pulling a slip of parchment he read the address to himself with a crack he was gone.

He stood and looked down the fairly deserted street and saw house after house. Looking around he saw a man staring open mouthed at him, standing not ten feet away, a look of mingled fear and shock competing for facial space.

Dumbledore reached into his pocket slightly and withdrew his slender wand. Muttering softly, he watched calmly as the man's eyes went slightly out of focus. Smiling blandly as he stowed his wand safely, he nodded to the man.

"Nice weather we've been having." He said conversationally. The man before him beamed, "Beautiful! I just hope it'll last..." He said, as he continued on his walk as though he had completely forgotten the rather remarkable sight he had just witnessed.

Dumbledore continued up the street until he saw a large blue house on the corner with a low garden fence. A wooden sign in the garden confirmed his suspicions.

"St. Cathrine's Children's Home"

Dumbledore continued up the path and knocked on the large red door.

* * *

Rachel looked out her window on the second story of the St. Cathrine's Children's Home to see an old man with a long silver beard walking up the path. She frowned and looked at her appointment book; she hadn't remembered making an appointment this morning. She flipped the pages and saw to her immense surprise, the name Albus Dumbledore was written neatly in the allocated time slot, in her own neat penmanship. Flustered, she closed the book and hastily straightened her desk. She was not one to forget appointments, but here, she had done just that. She made her way out of the office just as she heard the bell ring on the door. Smiling, she puled it open and welcomed the elderly man inside.

"Good Morning, Mr. Dumbledore. " She smiled winningly. "I'm glad you could make it today" She said convincingly, trying to cover her near blunder. The old man's blue eyes sparkled with a youth that his aged body didn't match. "Yes, sorry if I'm a bit late, I had a shock up at my school and I've been slightly distracted ever since." He said smoothly with a benign smile. Rachel frowned slightly, She was a bright woman, and generally, if she had a conversation, she didn't normally forget it., especially if she had a memory jog in the form of an aged and rather distinguished looking apparent headmaster. "And I'm sorry, what school did you say you came from?" She asked, hoping she wouldn't offend the man if he had indeed mentioned it earlier.

"It's a very select boarding school in Scotland; it's a family school." He said, folding his hands on the desk in front of him.

What do you mean, a family school?" she asked incredulously, surely this professor knew the concepts of an _orphanage..._ "Mr. Potter's name has been down for our school since his birth, all the Potters have attended." He said smoothly.

Any semblance of control of the situation Rachel had claimed had fled her entirely. "There is no Potter boy here..." She said shaking her head ruefully.

Dumbledore merely smiled at her. "I do believe that he is known as Robbie here?" He said with a twinkle in his eyes. "We would have notified Mr. Potter of our school sooner, however we have had a time tracking him down. We had no idea where he was after we learned that his Aunt and Uncle were killed. Harry was not found with them..." Dumbledore looked across the oaken desk at the flustered coordinator.

Rachel, as the coordinator of an orphanage had heard her share of unbelievable and far fetched stories, but this by far was one of the strangest she had ever heard.

"Robbie was found in a park.." she started, but stopped as Dumbledore interrupted her. "Near number four privet drive in Little Whigning Surrey." Rachel looked down at Robbie's file and her eyes widened slightly. "How did you.." she began before the aged professor continued. "On the very same day of the deaths of Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley." He continued. "The Dursley's were Harry's only blood relatives, Petunia being the only sister of Lily Evans Potter. Harry's parents, who were very dear friends of mine died on October 31st 1988. Harry was placed with his Aunt and Uncle, who were then killed about two weeks later on November 13th. We, of course were notified about this, and found out that the boy had been taken here, where he appeared to be safe, so we left it until he turned 11." Dumbledore explained. Rachel had long since thrown propriety out the window and was gaping open mouthed at the professor before her.

"If you would like more proof that the boy you have is in fact Harry James Potter, here are his birth records, and finger prints." He said smoothly. He ducked down and began fishing though his briefcase, Rachel had no way of seeing the long slender piece of wood that he slipped out of his pocket and changed the parchment to reflect what he wanted it to contain.

"Curiously enough, last time I saw Harry he had a rather startlingly shaped cut on his forehead. Did that scar?" He asked conversationally.

Now Rachel for the first time was having faith this might just be the real deal. "Yes, just like a..." Dumbledore smiled at her, "Lighting bolt." He finished. He straightened up and handed her a crisp manila folder that had not been in her briefcase at all but had appeared in his hand under the desk.

Rachel looked at the folder and saw the pictures of two people.

"Lily and James Potter." Read the caption. The woman had the shade of green almond shaped eyes that Rachel had seen on only one person. Robbie. James was another story, it was like looking at a twenty five year old carbon copy of Robbie, with hazel eyes, even the glasses were the same.

She read over the birth records of the boy. She had her own records, all the children were always finger printed when they arrived, to try and match children with hospital records. Clearly they had missed this boy. Pulling Robbie's file, she wouldn't have known a match if it had bitten her on the face, but she would be willing to bet that it would fit like a glove. No, fingerprints weren't what was convincing Rachel of the authenticity of this seemingly crazy story, no, it was the pictures of the parents, the fusion of Robbie that was staring at him. No, not Robbie, she reminded herself, it was actually Harry, Harry James Potter.

She had been staring at the folder with intensity. It was not every day that the children here were ever provided with stories, generally they were just cast aways from dead beats. However, in a hand written section that was paper-clipped to the file read the history of the boy's parents.

It seemed that Lily Potter had been a doctor, and James Potter had been an investigator, clearly, this was not a regular case of abandonment, then again, nothing about this case was regular.

Suddenly she snapped back to reality while she was reading about Lily's school records at the same school the professor had mentioned.

Something was clicking in the recesses of Rachel's mind. "What did you say this school of yours is called? Rachel asked, her fingers lacing together as she laid her hands on her desk.

Dumbledore smiled and looked at her. "It's called Hogwarts."

"Robbie's a wizard! That would explain a lot." Rachel muttered under her breath. Dumbledore was stunned at what he was hearing, "Excuse me? What did you say?" He stammered.

Rachel didn't seem to have heard him, her gaze suddenly turned steely, as she looked over at the aged headmaster. "How could this happen, how did he fall through the cracks? Why is he even in a muggle orphanage at all? Doesn't your government have an institution set up for wizard orphans?" She asked accusingly. For the past nine years, she had known there was something special about Robbie, some of the peculiarities that had occurred around him had almost seemed familiar. Now she knew why, it was because it was highly reminiscent of her brother.

Dumbledore seemed to regain composure, he looked over his half moon spectacles at the woman staring at him with sparking eyes. "I am assuming then, that you have magical relatives?" He asked calmly. "Yes, yes I do." She started, "My brother was muggle-born." She continued. Dumbledore looked at the parchment he had in his hand. "I don't remember teaching a Mr. Simmons." He said confusedly.

"Richard went to the Sydney Institute of Magic." She quipped. "He married a witch from the area and lives in Queensland now." She finished.

Dumbledore nodded. As strange as this was becoming, it oddly made the situation a whole lot easier. Less to lie about.

After a few minuets which for the most part included Rachel staring at her hands, clearly deeply in thought. Dumbledore began to grow restless. "Well, do you suppose we might go talk with Harry?" He asked, shifting in his seat. Rachel snapped to attention. "Oh! Yes, yes of course, right this way." She said hurriedly. Sanding and striding across the room. Dumbledore followed her, his hat held slightly shaking in his hands. This was all slightly too familiar for his tastes. Rachel led him up three flights of stairs, Dumbledore was happy to see the cheerful and seemingly caring environment that the children seemed to live in. however, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about this encounter.

_What about this encounter is spot on anyways, I am visiting a supposedly dead child, living in a muggle orphanage run by a woman who knows who I am..._ Dumbledore thought wryly to himself.

"Don't worry about the funds either, Harry was left a trust fund by his parents before they died. He'll get the remainder of his money once he turns seventeen." Dumbledore said as he climbed the stairs.

Rachel shrugged her shoulders. "Money is the last thing that Robbie needs to worry about anyways." She said casually. "He is one of the most well endowed children here, an incredibly wealthy, but obnoxiously vague beneficiary has sponsored him since the age of three." She said as she continued to walk the distance to the boy's room.

"Dumbledore's interests were piqued by that particular thread of information. "What was this beneficiary's name?" he asked.

Rachel thought for a moment before answering, "Orion, yes, that's it, Orion Black..." She quipped. Dumbledore's pace faltered momentarily. _The Black's? _His mind screamed at him. _What would the Blacks have to do with a Potter? They hate each other, the only Black that ever liked a Potter was Sirius Black, but that's not possible! _Dumbledore was becoming more and more uneasy as his thought snowball progressed. Nothing about this day has any semblance to what he had thought it would have been like.

He snapped to the present as he realized that the coordinator was still speaking. "Well, most of the children have sponsors, you know, well to do people use it as a tax write off and what not, but none are more generous than that Orion Black, he was a godsend, especially with all of Robbie's school costs and whatnot, those tutors didn't come cheep mind you..." She said.

Dumbledore was confused now, "Special tutors?" He asked, he had not been aware that Robbie had had any developmental problems.

"Yes, Robbie was almost taken away from our institution, due to his special needs. He didn't say a word to anyone until here was four, in fact we didn't think he even knew how to speak, then one day, this Orion Black started sending a check for the boy every month, and we weren't forced to send him to a government hospital...nothing really happened till Lee showed up though..." She said, stopping at a door with a cheerfully painted wooden sign reading "Kyle and Robbie." She knocked on the door and tentatively pushed it open. "Robbie?" She called softly into the room.

A pair of the most astonishingly pale blue-gray eyes pierced through Dumbledore. He had never seen such an intense stare from such a large dog. Truth be told, dogs made him slightly uncomfortable, and none to say the least when the stared at him such as the black brute was doing now. The giant dog leaped onto the small bed and began pawing at the covers. Dumbledore watched as the comforter began to move, presumably by the child underneath them. Rachel saw Dumbledore's look and spoke softly.

"That's Robbie's dog Lee, he's had him since he was four. That dog goes everywhere with him, and I mean _everywhere!._" She said nodding to the huge black dog. "Best dog I've ever met." She stated "At first, we were all rather leery of keeping the beastly thing, but that's when Robbie said his first words..." Rachel seemed to disappear in her own thoughts, "Well, we couldn't turn the dog out when a formerly mute little boy begged for him to stay..."

Dumbledore tuned out the coordinator as a tousled mop of shaggy black hair poked into view. The boy rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and blinked blearily into the room. Dumbledore stared with unconcealed wonder at the miniature version of James Potter sitting in front of him. When the child opened his eyes however, it was Lily Evan's gaze that held his.

"Robbie, this is professor Dumbledore. He has offered you a place at his school and..." Rachel's voice came to an abrupt halt when a crash was heard downstairs, followed by the pitter patter of little running feet. Dumbledore smiled knowingly at the wince Rachel gave as she shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Please excuse me, I'll be back shortly." She smiled forcefully. Turning, she walked quickly down the hall, after shutting the door slightly behind her.

The boy and the elderly wizard regarded each other momentarily. Dumbledore had a myriad of different emotions playing through his mind. Seeing Harry, alive and well, a child he had thought dead lit a candle in his mind that he hadn't even known had gone out This child represented the hope-rekindled for the wizarding world. _Neither can live while the other survives..._The words that he had forcefully put out of his mind nearly a decade ago came crashing back, this time, not as a burden but as a promise, a promise in the form of the child Harry Potter.

Dumbledore noticed he was looking into the blank mask of the boy in front of him.

"Hello H-Robbie, My name is Professor Dumbledore, and I run a school school called Hogwarts.." He broke off when he saw the forlorn expression on the child's face, and heard a non-discernible mumble emit from his lips.

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that...I'm afraid you'll have to speak up a bit..." Dumbledore said not unkindly.

"They don't want me anymore," he stated morosely, "I know I've been here for nearly ten years, but I always thought..." Dumbledore was stunned. "Robbie, my school isn't for unwanted children, you are welcome to return here if you wish, if you do not like Hogwarts, it's a special place for very...gifted...boys and girls." He said quickly.

Robbie looked guarded, "A special school? I'm not bad, I swear, I don't mean to cause trouble, I don't even know _how_ I cause trouble, I don't want to go away _again!_" He said fervently, his eyes widened with something akin to desperation.

Both the professor and the nervous child jumped when the door swung open.

"Hey Robbie, have you seen my football?" the boy with sandy colored hair said happily, haphazardly throwing things around the room as he rummaged through his closet. Grabbing the back and white checked ball, he straightened up, and noticed for the first time the aged man in the room as well.

"Oh..Hullo, who are you?" He asked quizzically. "That's Professor Dumbledore, I'm going to a _privet _school this fall.." Robbie said, throwing out his chest...

"Why?" Kyle said knitting his eyebrows, "What do they want with you Rob?" He asked confusedly.

Robbie's face twitched. "My name's not Rob..." He muttered with disdain.

Kyle snorted. "Ah, yes, that's right, your name isn't Robbie at all...it's something special! How could I forget!"

Robbie looked at the ground his shoulder's slumping forward.

"Come on Robbie, grow up, you're an urchin like the rest of us, a dumped little foundling..." Kyle said stuffing his things back into the closet

"That's not true!" Robbie said, his voice quiet, but angry. Only Dumbledore felt the surge of raw magic gathering in the room. "My parents loved me, and they died to save me!" Robbie said, his voice getting louder with each syllable.

It was Dumbledore's turn to be surprised, how did he know that?

"Oh please, you were abandoned just like the rest of us, left to die..." He sneered, "It's time to grow up!" The older boy said once more.

The boy dropped the ball he had been holding, and a look of fear marred his features. Quite suddenly his body was thrown across the room and into the slightly ajar door. The door slammed open and the boy tumbled into the hall slamming with a dull crunch against the hall wall.

Dumbledore quickly stood and ran over to the boy's side.

Pulling his wand from his pocket he whispered a soft, "Eneverate" and the older boy's eyes flickered open. He shrank back in unmasked fear, his wide eyes turned on Robbie.

"H-H-How did you d-do that?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Robbie was breathing fast and shallow, his hand covering his mouth, his eyes wide in panic. It was amazing how much the young child resembled a rabbit about to flee.

Dumbledore muttered one more word and Kyle's eyes slid out of focus. Dumbledore stood and offered a hand to the 'fallen' child.

"You shouldn't run so fast on these floors you know lad, they look quite slippery..." Dumbledore said, shaking a finger at him.

Kyle grinned sheepishly up at the elderly man. "You're right sir, and I normally don't, the other boys were waiting for me though, so I hurried..." He said, in explanation.

"Well, up you get, just try to be more careful next time, wouldn't want you to get hurt..." He said pulling the child to his feet.

Kyle walked into his room nonchalantly, brushing at his slightly scraped arm.

"Hey, Robbie, have you seen my football?" He asked, then spotting it on the ground, he picked it up and made to leave the room. Looking quizzically at his roommate, he asked, "Are you alright, you look like you've seen a ghost!"

Robbie nodded mutely, and shrugging Kyle left down the hall, at a walk.

Dumbledore turned his attention back into the room and saw the boy was pacing the floor, his head in his hands. "Oh god, oh god, oh god..." He was chanting under his breath, his breathing was still erratic.

He looked up at the older wizard fearfully, "Who _are_ you? Don't lie!" He asked, it was more of a demand than a question.

"I told you Harry...I am Professor Dumbledore, and that is precisely the gift that I have been referring to." The boy stopped pacing and looked incredulously at the man before him. "Are you mad?" He said, clearly surprised at what the old wizard was proposing. Dumbledore chuckled slightly, "Some would say I am..." He smiled. The black dog sneezed twice. "Bless you Lee." The boy said automatically.

Something seemed to click in the boy's mind, as he thought back to what Dumbledore had said.

"What did you call me?" He asked, his eyes round in surprise.

Dumbledore was confused, he thought for a moment, and then smiled. "Harry. I called you Harry Potter, which is your name."

Harry sank to the bed. "So they aren't dreams...I knew I was different." Harry said slowly.

Dumbledore's ears perked up at this, what was that child speaking of...

"What dreams Harry?" Dumbledore gently prodded.

Harry seemed to go into himself, watching the emotion snatch out of his eyes was like watching a window snap shut. He screwed his now lifeless eyes shut and he drew his legs up to his chest once more, as though battening down the hatches for a monumental internal storm. He opened his mouth slightly, but no sound came out for a moment. Then, slowly, be began to talk, talk as though someone switched on a tape of a radio.

"James! He's here, it's _him_! Lily, I want you to take Harry and run, I'll hold him off, go _go!_ No, no not Harry, kill me instead! Stand aside you silly girl...Avada Kedavra!"

Dumbledore was shocked. He could neither move, nor speak. Harry opened his eyes slightly, a single tear ran from his verdant eyes. The dog whined, and jumped onto the bed, resting his massive head in the boy's small lap.

"He laughed, everything went green, and that's all I remember." He said slowly, his normal voice back.

Dumbledore seemed to find his voice. "Harry, Harry, you remember what happened that Halloween?"

Harry was rubbing his scar slightly, confusion etched on his young face. "Halloween? Is that when it happened? Is that when they were killed?" He asked, he couldn't believe that after all these years, he was finally getting answers he never thought he would get.

"Yes Harry, they were..." Dumbledore breathed.

Harry opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, seeming to make up his mind, he tried once more. "Professor, _how_ did they die? All I remember is green, and people don't die from light..." He scoffed.

Dumbledore thought about what Harry had said just seconds earlier. Hearing a child utter those terrible words made him shiver, true, he had no idea what he was saying, but nonetheless, it was rather disconcerting.

"Harry, I think we hold save that conversation for a little later." Dumbledore said, pulling out a parchment envelope and handing it to the boy. Harry looked down at the parchment and read to his surprise , a name in glittering emerald ink, his name. His real name.

"Harry pulled open the envelope with trembling fingers. He unfolded the letter within, also made of the same heavy yellowed parchment.

"Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry..."

Harry gasped, "Witchcraft? Wizardry?" he asked, clearly quite confused.

Dumbledore nodded slightly to him. "You're a wizard Harry, as were your mother, father, and me. That's why I've come, I've come to offer you a place at my school. That's where you can learn how to control your magic." He said, with a slow smile creeping across his face.

"Magic, what I can do, is, is magic?" Harry said breathlessly. "I can't be a wizard, wizards aren't real...magic isn't real!" He said, absently stroking the head of his animagus.

Dumbledore smiled at him. "Who told you that?" He asked softly.

Harry shrugged, I don't know, Kyle, Joey, everyone!"

Dumbledore flicked his wrist as the boy talked, the toys and clothing that Kyle had strewn around the room began to place themselves back in the closet. Harry stopped talking and stared with wonder as the clothing folded itself and jumped neatly onto the shelves.

"You can do funny things too!" Harry said excitedly, moving to the edge of his bed.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, all witches and wizards can. Someday you too will be able to do things like this." He said quietly.

Harry looked at the open hall door. He looked as though he were trying to remember how to do something, and the door shut with a snap. Dumbledore was surprised to say the least. This boy seemed to have incredible control over his magic.

"The other kids call me a freak. They say that I will never fit in." He said quietly. "The teachers say I'm different, that I am 'special'." Harry spat the last word. "I always knew I wasn't like them, I always knew I was strange, I just didn't know why."

Dumbledore stroked his long silvery beard. Harry wasn't normal, even by wizarding standards. He was marked, and would be marked for life.

"Harry, how long have you been able to control your magic?" Dumbledore asked incredulously. Harry shrugged. "I don't know, when I was little, it used to be bad, you know? I would get angry and bad things happened ad everyone thought I was crazy. But I knew, I always knew I wasn't , that's when I started to try to do it on purpose. I started small,at first, and then as I got better, I would move things with out touching them. That's all I can really do, well, on purpose." Harry said, an excited sheen in his eyes. Harry read on down the letter. Reading the list of things he would need. Cauldrons, robes, spell books? Where was he going to find such things! Reaching the end of the list, his face fell

"Student's may being if they desire, an owl, a cat, or a toad. " Harry looked up sudden;y, the color draining from his face. "But professor, I can't go anywhere without lee..." Harry said said slowly, reaching out absently to pat the large black dog.

Dumbledore looked at the boy's obvious concern. "Harry, I'm sure Lee will be fine here...he's an awfully big dog." Dumbledore said gently.

Harry shook his head vigorously. "No, you said I don't have to go if I don't want to, well, I don't want to! I can't, I won't go anywhere without Lee." Harry said adamantly, his eyes ablaze with fierce determination.

Dumbledore sighed, the coming year at Hogwarts would have Harry Potter in the roster, anything else was sheer ludicrousness.

"Alright Harry, I supposed that Lee may attend as well, as long as he is well behaved. He will have to come to school another way that the train I'm afraid..." he said looking at the boy with a level gaze.

Harry looked confusedly at the aged headmaster. "Why?" He said, suspicion clearly mounting on his young face. "If you're thinking of getting rid of Lee and that I won't notice, I will..." He said, half standing out of his seat.

Dumbledore looked at the boy shrewdly. "Are you used to people trying to manipulate you?" He asked, his blue eyes losing their customary twinkle.

"I grew up in a state institution, where people assume you have the intelligence of a plank of wood, yes _sir_ I would have to say manipulation in a way of life." The child sneered with malice that was not befit to his years.

Dumbledore was flooded with sympathy for the child that would have been the savior of the wizarding world, if only they could save him from himself.

"I can assure you Harry, that I am not trying to rid you of your familiar. I am merely stating that the Hogwarts Express is not the proper place for a large dog to sit for hours, he would be most uncomfortable, and he is too large to place in a crate in the luggage compartment designed for all the student's pets. When you go to Diagon Alley to buy your school supplies, we can arrange for someone to take Lee to the school from there." Dumbledore explained. He spoke no longer in the normal tone he used for his students. There was something telling him that Harry Potter did not appreciate anything that might set him apart from the others.

Harry visibly relaxed. "I am sorry sir." he mumbled under his breath. "I'm just used to people trying to pull one over on me, they think me slow." He said gazing levelly, green, empty eyes boring into bright blue.

Dumbledore smiled. "It's quite alright, it has been assumed before, you are not the first, and will not be the last." He changed his course once more, and was now on to the business side of the meeting.

"Well, now that that is out of the way, I can have someone take you to London to buy your things with you, I think that we can arrange it for the last week in August, I will have..." He broke off with the vigorous shake of the child's head. Dumbledore looked curiously at the dark haired boy before him.

"I can do it on my own." He said hurriedly. "Rachel has to go to London every Thursday, I'll go with her and get my things while she's busy." He said. "I don't need help." He finished, glaring defiantly at the elderly man.

Dumbledore's expression was unreadable as he stood slowly, reaching into his robes.

"Alright Harry, here you are, this is your ticket to the train, it leaves from Kings Cross on September the first." He said handing the boy a slip of parchment. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small gold key. "This is a key to the trust fund your parents set up for you before you died." He explained as he put the key on the small table they had been sitting at. "I'll write out directions to the Leakey Cauldron, which is the entrance to Diagon Alley, where you can find all your school things. Don't be surprised if Rachel can't see it...it's, rather difficult to spot if you don't know where to look." He said evasively.

Harry snorted. "You mean Muggles can't see it." He said dryly. Dumbledore quirked one eyebrow and nodded. "It would appear that way." He said. "Ask for Tom and he'll show you how to get into the Alley. You need magic to do so, magic which you do not know." He said extending his hand to the young boy in front of him. Harry looked at the man for a second before shaking his hand.

"Thank you sir." He said solemnly . Dumbledore thought that might have been one of the boy's first genuine gratitude in a while. Looking around the institution he lived in, he couldn't really blame him.

He turned one last look and swore the dog winked at him before he shut the door behind him.

* * *

**A/N: I do hope you liked it...Brownie points to the reviewers who can guess _why_ Dumbledore found that whole meeting rather disconcerting...**


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